Prototype de Low-tech Lab | Categories : Tools
A basic computer model that still meets most of our daily needs. All for a price not exceeding 30 euros!
A basic computer model that still meets most of our daily needs. All for a price not exceeding 30 euros!
ordinateur, raspberry pi, raspberry pi zero w, wikipedia, récupération, recyclage, NomadeDesMers, nomade des mers
Today we will focus on a subject at the frontier of high and low tech: the computer! This extremely useful tool, which has become indispensable for most of us, is often too over-equipped for our usage. This obviously has an impact on its price, which excludes a large part of the world. Not to mention the environmental impact, especially due to the extraction of minerals needed for their manufacture, which, in most cases are rarely recycled at the end of their lifespan.
Today we offer you a very basic computer model that still meets most of our daily needs:
- Classic desktop processing (document writing, creating slideshows, etc)
- Internet browsing (social media, sending emails, etc)
- A very basic multimedia use (no photo editing, video, etc)
All of this for a price not exceeding 30 euros! To do this, we will use a mini-computer, the Rasberry Pi, in its simplest version the Rasberry Pi Zero W. For other computer hardware (screen, keyboard, mouse) we will use those salvaged from old computers.
Be it a school that wants to create a computer lab, an individual who wants a computer for his home, a grandparent who wants to discover IT or an aspiring developer who wants to get into Linux, there are many reasons to build a desktop PC with Raspberry Pi.
Together, let us see how you can assemble your own desktop PC running on Linux built on top of Raspberry Pi.
Youtube
The Raspberry Pi does not have a hard disk. Instead, it uses an SD card as its hard disk. We will have to install an operating system on it, here we will choose Raspbian, a robust distribution adapted for a large majority of uses and optimized for the Raspberry Pi. We recommend that you choose an SD card that is fast and reliable, the performance of the Raspberry Pi being strongly influenced by the quality of the chosen SD card.
- Install Raspberry Pi Imager in the version corresponding to your operating system (Windows, Mac, Ubuntu).
- Insert your SD card into your computer's card reader, and once it is recognized, launch Raspberry Pi Imager.
- Choose the desired operating system. In our case, the latest version of Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit).
- Choose the storage device: your SD card previously formatted in FAT32 format.
- Launch the writing !
The SD card is ready, all you have to do is insert it into your Raspberry Pi and plug it in.
We recommend using the Low-tech computer to be able to consult Wikipedia offline.
To do this, we will use the Kiwix software. This free software allows you to have the entire Wikipedia encyclopedia (and many other contents) in hand wherever you are! On a boat in the middle of nowhere or even in prison, it allows access to all of human knowledge. You do not need internet access, everything is saved on your computer, your USB key or DVD.
For this you will need:
We will present two slightly different installation options:
The KIWIX Reader allows you to consult offline, without an internet connection, content packages (Wikipedia, TEDx, ...) in ZIM format. It is available for all major operating systems (Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux, Android). It comes as a standalone application or browser plugin. Install it and consult Wikipedia content directly on your Low-tech computer.
KIWIX hotspot allows you to convert a low-cost mini-computer like the Raspberry Pi into a relay to distribute free content, without an internet connection, via a local network. This solution is especially useful for schools, libraries, communities, humanitarian organizations, etc. End users only need a device capable of detecting the network with the browser, they do not need to download and install anything on their device. KIWIX Hotspot works on Windows, macOS and Linux.
We will describe here the installation on a PC with the Windows operation system, but all versions are available [[1]].
To complete this installation you will need:
- a computer (running on Windows, macOS or GNU/Linux) with an SD card reader.
_ a microSD card (or SD depending on the Raspberry Pi model that you use). Choose one of good quality with adequate memory for the size of the content you wish to diffuse. 32GB is a good start. For the heavy version of English Wikipedia, you will need 128GB or more.
The installation can take many hours. Do not interrupt even if you get the impression that nothing is happening. Wait until a dialog box indicates to you that the installation is complete. Be careful to ensure that your computer does not go into Sleep mode.
- Installation and configuration of Raspbian: https://raspbian-france.fr/installer-raspbian-premier-demarrage-configuration/
- Create your desktop computer under Linux for less than 200€ with the Raspberry Pi: https://raspbian-france.fr/ordinateur-bureau-linux-raspberry-pi/
- Install and use KIWIX on Windows or macOS : https://www.kiwix.org/en/documentation/installing-and-using-kiwix-on-windows-or-macos/
- How to configure KIWIX Hotspot : https://www.kiwix.org/en/documentation/how-to-set-up-kiwix-hotspot/
English translation by Preethi Poovathumkadavil
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